Cave Shoes Crocs Resurrected The Popularity Of North American Youth

After being depressed for more than 10 years, the cave shoe Crocs was revived. According to the second quarter results released by Crocs in fiscal 2019 in August 1st, its sales increased by 9.4% to $358 million, retail sales increased by 11.8%, and wholesale channels increased by 5.2%.

Most importantly, it is beginning to be loved by young consumers. According to the survey conducted by Piper Jaffray, an investment bank, for two years, the most popular brand among American teenagers, Crocs ranked 13 in shoe brands in 2019. It was much better than it was in 2017, more than 30.

Crocs brand and its classic cave shoes have gone through a lot of growth in less than 20 years. In 2002, it was introduced as a rowing shoe, and was highly regarded because of its comfort. In 2006, when the company was listed on Nasdaq, its sales volume exceeded 1 billion US dollars for 6 consecutive years, and its sales volume exceeded 50 million annually.

From the perspective of Google Google, 2007 is a year of decline and prosperity in 2007. 10 years after that, whether Crocs's performance or search volume was lingering in the doldrums. Fortunately, it hasn't been forgotten, and people will laugh at it's ugly. In 2010, Crocs was appraised as "the worst invention" by time magazine. There is only one reason: ugly. Someone built a group on Facebook. "I don't care how comfortable Crocs is, you're like a fool in it," and 1 million 200 thousand people joined in.

Crocs brand vision and image has not changed much, and the shoe that it has lost is the hole shoe. How did Crocs return to life in the past two years? Did it change, or did young people change?

Make a joint name to make Crocs cool and give it more meaning.

Crocs is "ordinary people's (ugly) shoes". In the United States, many professionals, such as doctors, nurses and cooks, who need long standing, choose it because of comfort. In the past, the problem of Crocs might be too ugly.

In the past two years, it has begun to approach the Pyramid side of fashion discourse. When we announced the cooperation with designer brand Christopher Kane in 2016, although it produced over 10 billion publicity effects on Crocs, there was still a lot of negative public opinion on the Internet. By 2017, when Crocs and Paris began to launch 10cm thick sole shoes, they began to have some commended voices. Those who did not look at Crocs before had to look at it.

Its cooperation with Chao brand Chinatown Market and the American luggage brand Vera Bradley has won a lot of publicity this year. In Japan, Crocs and fashion clothing brand Beams cooperate with each other. The design is quite simple: there is a small bag on the shoe. In the United States, it was sold out to rap singer Post Malone crossover (even Madonna said she wanted to join them).

It turns out that Crocs has plasticity. Many different styles can be put in, whether it is Hello Kitty or gothic metal wind. Canadian handmade brand Kunst even launched Crocs shoes earrings. The "funny" blogger Unnecessary Inventions (useless invention) made a Crocs glove.

It can be said that Crocs has become a peduncle of youth subculture. People tease Crocs to keep it warm. Crocs also recognizes this. Michelle Poole, its global merchandise director, said: "we are the brand that we all like to be" black ". In fact, it is this tension that keeps us in the line of sight. "

Comfort is a trend, and it becomes more and more important.

The recovery of Crocs is related to its comfortable characteristics.

Comfort is becoming more and more important for clothing and fashion. Sports shoes such as sports and leisure wind has already entered the room: sports shoes instead of leather shoes and high-heeled shoes can directly match the suit and skirt; almost all luxury brands have launched sneakers.

The whole trend of comfort is more obvious in women. Women turned to sports shoes instead of high heels. According to the US market research firm NPD, sales of women's sports shoes in the United States increased by 37% in 2017, while sales of high-heeled shoes dropped by 11%. The same is true in China: failure to follow sports and leisure in time is considered one of the reasons for the decline of traditional women's shoes companies such as BELLE and Daphne. Nike, Adidas and Andrew are investing more in the women's sports shoes market.

At the same time, more comfortable and lightweight underwear for women is being sought after. In the United Kingdom and the United States, the introduction of Bralette (a steel laced LACE BRA) has increased over the past 2 years. The new style of sports underwear has also increased by 50%. With its stainless steel underwear products, UNIQLO's market share in the Japanese lingerie market increased from 15% to 20.03% in five years. Close to the main gathering, the market share of the first Wacoal.

There is a similar trend in China. Since 2016, the underwear market without steel ring has been growing continuously. Young people especially buy it. According to the "underwear industry trend study" released at the beginning of CBNData2019, nearly 5 of the online bra consumers without steel ring are 90.

Despite the fact that steel rings and thick cushioning lingerie, and high-heeled shoes or formal shoes are more in line with the traditional aesthetic "good-looking", the trend of culture is changing under the culture of comfort and supremacy. This is the chance for Crocs to recover.

UGG and other ugly shoes also have signs of recovery. Careless ugliness has become a fashion attitude.

Similar to Crocs, "ugly and well worn" shoes include Birkenstock and UGG. They are all on the rise.

Germany's old Birkenstock has been picked up by designer Phoebe Philo since 2012, and its popularity has gradually increased after Celine. Judging from the trend of Google, nearly two years and Crocs are the same. Birkenstock's CEO Olivier Reichert interpreted why it became popular: "wearing Birkenstock shows that you are an unaffected person, and people will finally appreciate your real and direct." This is similar to the reason Crocs was selected by Christopher Kane. When asked why he chose Crocs cooperation, the Scotland designer said, "I like its slightly clumsy appearance and the positioning of ugly shoes. Its appearance is childish and naive. Careless ugliness has become a part of embellishment of the whole shape. It is much more realistic than trying hard to dress up.

Perhaps for similar reasons, UGG has recovered after 7 years of silence. In the 8 quarter earnings of its parent company Deckers, UGG grew in the 6 quarter, even in the latest 4-6 months, and UGG sales were growing.

Whether it is UGG or Crocs, its core product and time image have not changed much, but people's ideas have changed. Elizabeth Segran, a reporter for Fast Company, thinks that those who used to be Crocs were letting the consumers who had thoughts on the product retreat. Now, potential consumers and Crocs fans probably don't care so much about the mockery of the sunspot. Fashion is a cycle. Is Crocs's high light time likely to come?

It does not rest easy. In Asia, Crocs may also face other problems. Compared with other regions, Crocs sales in Asia are still weak. In the second quarter of 2019, Asia's fixed exchange rate grew by only 1.3%, a slowdown compared with 4.6% in the previous quarter. It has many problems in China, and the most serious one is counterfeiting and Shanzhai. Another possibility is that most Chinese consumers have yet to perceive the beauty, compatibility and wearability of Crocs. Crocs also needs to increase investment in this area. This year it has just found Jin Chen as spokesperson. I wonder if it has enough vitality to win the hearts of Chinese consumers?